Stomping

[HoneyBadger]

Trampling with elephants can be great, but don't forget Boots of the Behemoth. 30 equipped Basalt Kings (Atlantis EA) stomp even nicer than 30 elephants, when you consider how much more versatile they can be in combat, especially with a Nature 9 regenerating/berserk bless.

[Gandalf Parker]

Good tactics.

Im not sure how the ai can cheat in hordes. It only gets bonuses on god-making. But you can slow that by turning the independents higher.

The standard counter to pachiderms is MR targeting spells, soul slay & enslave mind are particularly devastating.

Targeting their morale can also work: missile troops backed by fear causing critters or spells (terror, panic...)

Other options: high defense troops boosted with body ethereal will be highly resistant to being trampled. A size 6 SC cannot be trampled at all, and the elephants have to fall back to their subpar combat skills.

[Shovah32]

Elephants can be countered by players fairly easily either with high strength(giants/bandar ect), high defence(w9 sacreds, mounted units) and magic, specifically signle target high damage/instant death spells(soul slay vrs low mr elephants is deadly)